Removing Mower Blades

[RustyBoy]

After reading several previous posts about removing mower blades and the difficulty in removing the nut, I thought that the idea of using a cordless impact wrench seems like a great idea. I noticed that a Ryobi 18V at HD for $100 plus another $50 for battery and charger. One of the questions is adjusting the torque and I thought of what is called a Torque Stick like what is used in garages to tighten lug nuts. Any comments about using a cordless impact wrench and maybe a torque stick so as not to over-torque the nut?

 

[RDA.Lawns]

Its actually called a torque wrench . I don't jack my mowers up much especially not high enough to use a impact wrench .I'll stick with my trusty 15/16th wrench but to each their own

 

[bertsmobile1]

I use the Ingersol, 1400 ft lbs air impact to remove all blades.
Even then some nuts have to be split or bolts have heads ground off.
Those commercials can self tighten like I could not have imagined, particuarly on the rough cut mowers where the blades rarely come off for regular sharpening.
A tension wrench to do up , always no exceptions .

 

[RustyBoy]

I use the Ingersol, 1400 ft lbs air impact to remove all blades.
Even then some nuts have to be split or bolts have heads ground off.
Those commercials can self tighten like I could not have imagined, particuarly on the rough cut mowers where the blades rarely come off for regular sharpening.
A tension wrench to do up , always no exceptions .

Two questions: When you activate the impact wrench on one blade nut, do you have to hold that blade from turning? And do the other blades turn when loosening the nut or do you have to somehow stabilize them so they won't turn.

 

[bertsmobile1]

You hold the blade.
A glove would be a good idea.
Impact wrenches it hard but they only rotate a tiny amount.
Leave the belt on.
If it is a new mower with an electric PTO then the PTO has a brake built into it which prevents the belt turning.
Manual will show a blade holder or a block of hardwood between a deck baffel & the blade.
On the 60" + mowers where I can not the deck up high enough to get the impact driver under the deck it is a 6' length of 2" x 4" hollow steel tube and some very long spanners.

 

[RustyBoy]

You hold the blade.
A glove would be a good idea.
Impact wrenches it hard but they only rotate a tiny amount.
Leave the belt on.
If it is a new mower with an electric PTO then the PTO has a brake built into it which prevents the belt turning.
Manual will show a blade holder or a block of hardwood between a deck baffel & the blade.
On the 60" + mowers where I can not the deck up high enough to get the impact driver under the deck it is a 6' length of 2" x 4" hollow steel tube and some very long spanners.

Thanks for the feedback. I will use a glove and the mower has a PTO. I also bought a mower jack from HF which allows at least 11 inches from nut to floor. A Dewalt 20 volt cordless 6.1" wide, then the nut should work. I also found a 15/16" Torque Limiting Impact Socket for 1/2" drive with 135lbs. torque. Not sure whether the length of the impact socket is short enough to fit with wrench. And I would prefer a 120 ft. Lb. torque socket but they seem to be difficult to find - but there are many torque sticks which may definitely make the length too long with regular socket attached.

 

[Ron123]

I have always used anti-seize on my lawn mower blade bolts for over 20 years and it works great.

 

[RhettWS]

I purchased a wimpy air impact wrench to remove the blades. In fact it might be called a compact wrench. Works like a champ to get the blades off and fits easily under my deck with the wheels up on car ramps. Recently while restoring my mower after the flood I decided to purchase a torque wrench. My old one crapped out. After shopping a bit I ran across a ACDelco ARM602-4 1/2" Digital Torque Adapter (4-147.6 ft-lbs) -Audible alert.

I purchased it off of Amazon. Sweet little gizmo. You set the torque you want and then it beeps when you get close followed by a constant tone at the set value. Its only draw back is that in tight places it might not fit. Probably not as good as a high dollar unit but for my limited use it is perfect.

 

[RustyBoy]

I purchased a wimpy air impact wrench to remove the blades. In fact it might be called a compact wrench. Works like a champ to get the blades off and fits easily under my deck with the wheels up on car ramps. Recently while restoring my mower after the flood I decided to purchase a torque wrench. My old one crapped out. After shopping a bit I ran across a ACDelco ARM602-4 1/2" Digital Torque Adapter (4-147.6 ft-lbs) -Audible alert.

I purchased it off of Amazon. Sweet little gizmo. You set the torque you want and then it beeps when you get close followed by a constant tone at the set value. Its only draw back is that in tight places it might not fit. Probably not as good as a high dollar unit but for my limited use it is perfect.

I looked at the ACDelco Torque Adapter and it looks like a neat tool. But I really need a power impact wrench as I lack the strength to remove the nut from the angle of me lying on the floor.

 

[RustyBoy]

You hold the blade.
A glove would be a good idea.
Impact wrenches it hard but they only rotate a tiny amount.
Leave the belt on.
If it is a new mower with an electric PTO then the PTO has a brake built into it which prevents the belt turning.
Manual will show a blade holder or a block of hardwood between a deck baffel & the blade.
On the 60" + mowers where I can not the deck up high enough to get the impact driver under the deck it is a 6' length of 2" x 4" hollow steel tube and some very long spanners.

One last question: I've never used an impact wrench so this is really new to me. When you mention using a glove, I assume then that there isn't a problem holding the impact wrench with one hand while holding the blade with the other? I'm now thinking that maybe both hands are needed to control the impact wrench against the nut - or is this not a problem?